What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

I read a book about 3 generation ships, all in space, can see the others from windows. Each one differently evolved societies, but people in 1 learn they are actually on earth in a multi generation experiment and are able to get to the others to try and share the truth.

Read ~1990-1996.

Might be a short story/novella in one of those thick “Best of” or “Year’s Best” sci-if anthologies. Thanks!

Ray, is this story for adults or teens?
Who are the main characters?

How far into the story do you learn they are all on Earth?

I copied some book details to the topic header. Feel free to edit it.

Thanks. Don’t remember much more than this but the Earth reveal is later on in the story.

Thanks Ray. I removed "really on Earth" from the topic header and added a spoiler alert. Spoilers are okay in the comments below the header.

Thanks!

Found it!

Taklamakan by Bruce Sterling.
In Asimov’s Science Fiction. Vol.22, No.274, October/November, 1998 Asimov's Science Fiction, October/November 1998

Great! Glad you found your story, Ray. Thanks for the update.